Donors rush to aid injured pup
Dozens of donors came to the rescue of Diabetes awareness blogger Erik Bendl and his faithful companion Nice.
Bendl was able to raise the more than $4,000 need to pay for Nice’s knee surgery.
The surgery was performed by the University of Florida Small Animal Hospital.
After rolling a gigantic inflatable globe 6,000 miles through more than 39 states across the country to raise awareness about diabetes and funding for the American Diabetes Association, Erik Bendl and his pup, Nice, came to a rolling stop earlier this month in Spring Hill.
Bendl’s living out of a big purple van, reminiscent of “Scooby Doo,” but that’s what he expected before he headed out on the open road. What he didn’t see coming was for all that mileage to expedite what veterinarians call a common, progressive degenerative disease in Nice’s knees — causing his ligaments to degenerate over time.
“The course of the disease can be hastened by dogs being active, and cause the ligament to tear sooner than it would have,” said Caleb Hudson, an animal surgeon at University of Florida College of Veterinarian Medicine who examined Nice. “He has bilateral, so both knees have both torn at this point in time.”
Bendl maintains a blog throughout his travels — worldguy.org — containing worrisome and uncertain reflections for the month of March.
With the surgery Bendl and Nice will be able to continue their travels promoting Diabetes awareness.
